


Curiosity Armed the Cat

by CompletelyDifferent



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Catra becomes She-Ra, F/F, Gen, things go differently from there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-23
Updated: 2019-09-23
Packaged: 2020-10-25 17:54:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,778
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20728355
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CompletelyDifferent/pseuds/CompletelyDifferent
Summary: On a trip into the Whispering Woods, Catra finds a sword.Sure, Adora doesn't even believe the sword is real, and if it is, it must be some sort of evil princess trick. But in her gut, Catra knows it exists. Knows it's important.She's going to use it to show all of Eternia just how powerful she really is.





	Curiosity Armed the Cat

There is a plethora of universes, worlds, timelines. Lives where things went different, in ways both big and small.

Here are some things familiar to the timeline you know: on the stranded planet of Etheria, two girls are raised as soldiers in the Horde. Despite everything, Catra and Adora are the best of friends. One night they take a joy ride into the dreaded Whispering Woods. They crash, and are separated.

Here is where it goes different:

* * *

There was a sword.

Catra blinked at it, shiny and glowing in the dim forest light. It was gold and blue and like nothing she’d ever seen before.

It was beautiful, for one. You don’t see a lot of beautiful things in the Horde. And Catra wanted it.

She didn’t hear voices, or whispers. Nothing drew her towards the sword besides regular cat curiosity. 

At least until she touched it.

Next thing she knew, she was lying on the ground, a nervous Adora hovering over her.

“Where’s the sword?” Catra demanded.

“What sword? Are you okay? Did you break anything?” said Adora, looking her over.

Catra brushed off all of her friend’s concern, insisting there was a sword, it had been right _ there_, and it- “It was talking to me.”

“What?” said Adora, in a tone which clearly suggested she thought Catra hit her head too hard in the fall.

“Don’t look at me like that! It _ was _ talking to me,” Catra repeated. “It was saying- well, a lot of stuff, really. It… wasn’t entirely clear?” There was stuff about balance, she thought, and some weird pictures too, and a glowing light, but Catra didn’t want to sound any more ridiculous than she already did. “And it was saying your name.”

Adora tilted her head, a small smile playing at her lips. “Just sounds like you were dreaming about _ me_.”

“Was not,” says Catra, swatting at her.

* * *

They started to leave, but Catra couldn’t get the sword out of her head.

There was something important about it. She wasn’t sure what, exactly. But she just knew it wasn’t normal. She said as much to Adora as they were flying back to the Fright Zone.

“It’s probably just some princess trick,” said Adora. “An enchantment or trap. Or _ both_.”

“I’m not stupid enough to fall for some princess trap,” Catra scoffed.

But Adora had that serious expression on her face, that one she got when she was really worried about Catra messing things up. “Seriously. You know the stories about the Whispering Woods. Princess magic is really dangerous.”

“I know that,” Catra insisted. “But don't you see? That’s why this is so important! Imagine what it could mean if we could recover a princess artifact! Get some serious magic on our own side, even just to study? It would be a huge deal!”

Adora still looked dubious, but there was at least a curious look in her eye. That same kind of competitive hunger she got when sparring.

It took more wheedling- a whole trip home’s worth of it- but eventually Adora agreed. Reclaiming the sword (“if it even exists”) could be a good mission.

“But you’re not going alone,” Adora insisted. “We can get a team together after the invasion of Thaymor-”

“No.” Catra stood up. “I’m going. Now.”

“What? No! What are you talking about- we just got home-”

But there was something boiling inside Catra. She had found the sword, and she didn’t want her prize, her discovery, taken by someone else. And she wanted to show Adora, show _ everyone,_ that she could do this.

In the background, Adora was protesting, trying to drag her back, saying how much trouble she’d be in, but Catra didn’t care. “I won’t get in trouble. You’re going to cover for me.”

“I am, am I?”

“Yeah. You’re force captain now, remember?” Catra poked the badge on Adora’s chest. “Just tell everyone you sent me off to do something important. You won’t even be lying.”

Adora glared at her, blue eyes sharp- but looked away. She muttered, “Fine.”

Catra had known she would. Adora might’ve been a goody-two-shoes people-pleaser, but she had Catra’s back, no matter what.

* * *

The sword wasn’t a hallucination. Deep in the Whispering Woods, Catra managed to find it. It was there, it was real, just like she knew it was. Catra reached out for its hilt, wondering what would happen once she held it in her hands-

\- and then two rebellion idiots came screaming out of the forest.

Catra was an elite soldier, well trained, and has been preparing her entire life for combat. But it was two against one, and however ridiculous this pair was, she’d never actually fought against a princess- and they were on their own turf.

It would be impossible to know which way the fight would have gone, if the Voice hadn’t suddenly started echoing in her head, loud and dizzying and impossible to ignore. 

_ Who the heck are you? _Catra demanded.

**I am Light Hope. I have been waiting for you.**

_ Waiting for me? _ That made no sense. Nobody waited around for Catra, especially not magical sword ladies. 

**I could not reach you until you connected with the sword.**

“_ Connected”? _

**The sword is meant for you.**

_ Meant for me? What are you talking about? I thought it was meant for- _

**Etheria has need of you. Will you answer the call? Will you fight for the honor of Grayskull?**

_ Shut up, lady, you’re not making any sense- _

**I am. You will see.**

* * *

When Catra woke up, she was tied up and being yelled at by the two idiots.

“What happened?” Catra groaned, and then feels immediately stupid for showing such weakness.

“Quiet, Horde spy,” snapped the pink one. “I ask the questions! How did you make it this far into the Whispering Woods?”

“Uh. How do you think?”

“I. Don’t. Know.” Pink leaned in close. “That’s why I’m asking.”

Catra rolled her eyes. “Look, it wasn’t hard. Your little forest clearly isn’t as secure as you think it is.”

Pinky rolled her eyes right back. “Right, ‘course. So you just ‘happened’ to find yourself in the Whispering Woods, just like you ‘happened’ to steal our sword?”

Catra grinned, sharp. “Finders keepers.”

The two of them were very easy to rile up, Catra quickly learned, as they forced her to her feet and into a trek. Pinky (Princess Glimmer, it turned out), was full of fury and indignation and let every little barb get under her skin. Bow, meanwhile (_ Did he only pick that weapon because of his name? _ Catra wondered), was almost comically sweet, and looked so wounded when Catra didn’t buy his soft tones and kind words.

So even before they got lost, Catra was pretty sure she could find a way to trick them and escape with the sword.

“Wow. Touchy,” Catra said, when Glimmer basically bit Bow’s head off for stating the obvious.

Bow rubbed his neck. “Sorry about her. She’s usually really nice.”

“_ Surrrreee _she is.”

“Really! She’s just a little tense, what with- the mission, and everything.”

“Mmmhmm.” Catra leaned in, and in a conspiratorial whisper says, “Look, you don’t have to lie to me. I know what commanders are like, always ordering their inferiors around.”

“Glimmer’s not my commander!”

“Princess, commander, same difference.” Catra gave as much of a dismissive wave as she could with her hands bound. “She’s still more powerful than you, and she still wants you to worship the ground she walks on. You don’t have to take that.”

Bow gave her a hard look- the hardest expression she’d seen on the guy yet. “I see what you’re trying to do. You’re trying to turn me against her. That’s not going to work.”

Catra shrugged. She had time.

* * *

Then they found a village. Or the ruins of one, at least.

Glimmer stood there, making the most piteous whining noise, nearly crying. Bow just stared, looking shocked and hurt. Both seem to_ actually _ be upset about it.

“I bet you were part of the troop that did this!” Glimmer screamed into Catra’s face.

“Wasn’t me!” Catra said, raising her hands. “The Horde won’t even let me out of training!”

“Then how are you here?” pointed out Bow.

“I snuck out.”

“Doesn’t matter!” yelled Glimmer. “You’re a part of it! You’re a heartless destroyer, just like your people!”

Catra wasn’t paying any attention to the princess’s tantrum. She was staring down at the rubble that was once a village. 

On some level, the princess was right. Part of Catra couldn’t help but savor the destruction around her; to imagine the power her fellow Horde soldiers must’ve felt, mowing through this place, nothing stopping them. 

But another part of her is surprised by how… unimpressive it was. Training talked a big talk about facing massive armies of unstoppable opponents, sieging opulent castles, storming vast strongholds. This was just- a village. It must’ve been smaller than the baby barracks, and significantly less defended. It had to have been like kicking Kyle when he was down.

And sure, kicking Kyle could be fun. But it got old fast. 

And then there was the third part of her. The part that wondered- why? Why bother even taking a small village in the middle of nowhere? Talk about a waste of resources!

She almost said something to that effect- but bit her tongue last minute. Both her captors looked furious, and growing up under Shadow Weaver, Catra had learned when not to push it.

Still. With the way they were acting, you’d almost think Glimmer and Bow actually _ cared _ about everyone who’d died here. 

* * *

Catra didn’t have any time to mull that over that before a giant monster bug came charging out of the forest.

Her fur puffed out and she practically leapt into the nearest tree. From there, it was all chaos, glorious chaos- screaming and slashing and sparkles.

Catra couldn't help but laugh. This was her _ element_, the thing she’d always thrived on in training. The two bozos were so preoccupied with the bug that, even with her hands tied, she’d have no difficulty escaping.

Only, she wanted the sword. When it got knocked out of the princess's hand, Catra swooped down, grabbed it- and just barely managed to block the monster beak with the blade.

It was hard to hold- not just because it was heavy, not just because her hands were tied, but because the voice returned the moment she touched it, the one that echoed in her head, that filled her mind with visions, and asked her again and again and again- “_ Will you fight for the Honor of Grayskull_?”

** _Will you shut up! _ ** Catra screamed at it, hoping to drown it out long enough to cut herself free, but it won’t. It just keeps _ asking_. _ Fine! _ Catra relented. “FOR THE HONOR OF GRAYSKULL.”

* * *

It was like being hit with a taser, but with none of the pain.

It was like taking the hottest shower ever. It was like being bathed in sunshine. 

It was like falling to the floor with breathless laughter.

It was like getting the highest marks of any cadet.

The glowing lights faded, and then Catra was back, but everything was different. The world around her was smaller- or no, everything’s the same, but she was bigger. And shinier. Her clothes-everything had turned golden and white and there was a CAPE fluttering behind her, not to mention a full mane of hair, and that weight momentarily threw her off-balance. She waved her arms, trying to steady herself- only to realise her FUR has turned all goldeny too, and “_ What the actual fuck _-?!”

“Glimmer?”

“I see her, Bow.”

“Okay. I wanted to make sure it wasn’t just me.”

Catra locked eyes with Glimmer and Bow, and for a moment they were united in complete shared confusion.

Her ears twitched as Catra heard the monster behind her. She reacted on instinct, lashing out with the sword. It hit with much,_ much _more force than she expected. The thing practically went flying backwards, ploughing through trees.

The three of them stared after it in awe.

That surprise was the final straw. Something inside of Catra shuddered, the golden warmth draining away all at once. A moment later, she was just ordinary Catra again.

She had no clue what just happened. But she was going to find out.

* * *

Catra tried to get an explanation; the others didn’t have one. Together, they fought the bug- or tried to, anyway. They ended up having to run away.

That pissed Catra off. She felt like she should be able to take it, but whatever that weird transformation was, it had left her drained.

Then they ended up backed up in the corner of some weird old ruins, and that should have been the end. But through a head-splitting migraine, Catra found that somehow, she could read the symbol plastered all over the walls. No clue what “Eternia” meant, but it must have been a password, because then they were running inside the ruins. 

Ruins with the worst security system ever.

Honestly, it was a miracle they got out of there alive. But somehow, despite all the infighting and exhaustion and booby traps, they did.

And after that, Catra really had no choice but to stick with the rebels. After all, not only did she still not have the sword, but she was lost behind enemy lines. Going with them was the only smart thing to do. Maybe she could figure out what was happening to her.

* * *

Except, no.

Because the nearby base wasn’t a base at all, but a village. An encampment filled almost entirely with civilians. Very loud civilians.

They called it a ‘party’. Catra knew what the Horde would have called it: ‘a waste of time and resources’.

And she didn’t care.

It was _ great_. There was food! The most delicious food she had ever tasted, which burst with flavor and colors! Drinks the fizzed on her tongue and made her feel full with energy! Music completely different from the Horde’s solemn war chants! They were bright and playful and didn’t have a _ single _ line about conquering one’s enemies and crushing them under your feet.

It was stupid that Glimmer and Bow were letting her have free reign. They should have immediately tied her up, got an escort, and headed directly to Bright Moon.

It was stupid that Catra was still here. She should have used the chaos as a distraction, and run off with the sword.

But among the food and the animals and the music and the games, somehow, all three of them seemed to have forgotten what they _ should _ have done.

Catra easily destroyed a fake animal filled with candy, even blindfolded. It was nothing compared to a training drone. But a gaggle of kids all stared up at her in awe, and cheered as they descended upon the sweets. It made her feel oddly warm inside.

“… do you like kids?” came Glimmer suspiciously behind her.

“What? No!” Catra jumped, her tail floofing out. “I mean- I don’t- What does it matter?”

“I just figured you wouldn’t,” says Princess Glimmer, voice still sharp, “considering the Horde kills so many.”

“We don’t kill them. We take them and raise them as our own,” said Catra, although she couldn’t muster much indignance. More than a few children must get hurt in the crossfire.

… Besides. Seeing little kids running up to their parents, showing off their candy loot… The way the parents ruffled their hair, or kissed their cheeks... It made taking them away seem awfully cruel. Catra certainly never got anything like that. 

Only shadows.

* * *

An idea was forming in Catra’s head. A wild, ridiculous idea, one that was almost too terrifying to contemplate- but it was there.

Now all she had to do was act on it.

“So,” she said in what she hoped was a casual tone, as she slid up to Bow. Princess Glimmer was distracted by conversation with some horned guy down the table. “What_ is _this place, anyway?”

She didn’t expect Bow to be as stupid as to tell her right away- but once again, she was taken by surprise. “Hmm? This is the village of Thaymor.”

That hit her with a completely different kind of surprise. “This? _ This _ is Thaymor?”

Her tail was straight up, her hair on end. Bow stared at her in alarm.

“Catra? What’s wrong?”

It had been years since Catra had believed the lies the Horde spewed about the righteous war on the evil princesses. But still- but still- attacking rinky dink villages, in the middle of nowhere, with no strategic significance, and filled with children- 

Even Catra hadn’t believed they’d gone that far. 

“The Horde. They’re coming to invade.”

Bow blinked. “Well- yeah, we kno-”

“No. I mean they’re invading soon. Like, ‘today’, soon.”

“What?”

Part of her could barely even believe she was saying this. She could imagine the look on Shadow Weaver’s face if she’d heard. The punishment she’d dole out. 

But another part was imagining the look on Shadow Weaver’s face… and laughing. 

And a third part, the part that felt like almost like a stranger, was saying _ None of that matters, because if you don’t act now, all these partying idiots were going to die. _

_ Now _Princess Glimmer was paying attention, and she and Bow were arguing over each other. Catra was scarcely paying attention. Her ear pricked; in the distance she could hear the unmistakable growl of Horde tanks.

“Look, it doesn’t matter,” she hissed. “I think I can stop it. Stop the attack before it even begins. But you’ll have to let me go.”

“What? We’re not going to let you go-”

“Then the deaths here will be your fault.” Catra shrugged. “Your choice.”

Princess Glimmer boiled at that, but Bow laid a hand on their shoulder. A quick, hushed, angry conversation ensued. Finally, they looked up. 

“Fine,” Bow said with a nod. “Go.”

Catra turned, and ran. 

* * *

The wall of tanks was advancing. They hadn’t fired yet. They were waiting for a clear shot.

When Catra ran out in front of them, they rolled to a staggering halt. 

Adora’s head popped out of the lead tank. “Catra!” she shouted. “You’re okay! I thought-”

Catra, having already rushed up to the top, pressed a claw to Adora’s lips. “Yes, I’m okay! That doesn’t matter.”

“Of course it does,” Adora said, pushing her away. “Where were you? Did you find that sword? I didn’t want to start the invasion without you, but-”

“And you _ shouldn’t_.”

“Why not?” Adora demanded. Her gaze flickered to the village ahead, as if scouting for threats.

Catra opened her mouth. _ Because they’re a bunch of defenseless kids and farmers. _

That sounded stupid, even to her.

“Hey, Force Captain,” Lonnie said, sticking her head out. “We moving or what?”

Catra’s tail swished. She didn’t have a lot of time here. 

“I’ve found the sword. It’s a weapon, a powerful one, I think. I’ve got a plan. If you come with me, I’ll show you-”

“I can’t leave my troops behind!”

“Yes, you can,” said Catra, grabbing Adora’s hand and pulling. “Come on-”

\- And Adora yanked her arm away.

“I’m Force Captain now. I can’t just run off anymore,” Adora said. “And neither can you. Now get back up here. ”

Catra stared up Adora, ears pulled back. “Was that an order?”

Adora hesitated for a moment, then said, “Yes.”

Tailing lashing, Catra took a step back. “I don’t _ take _orders,” Catra hissed. “I’ll show you!”

“Wait-!” Adora called after her, but Catra was already running off.

* * *

Not even five minutes later, Catra found herself hiding behind a half-destroyed house, head in her hands.

What the fuck had she been thinking?

‘I’ll show you?’ Show Adora_ what_? The ‘wicked’ powers of a sword she didn’t understand and didn’t even have? Great thinking, Catra. Now she was in the middle of a battlefield with no weapons and nowhere to go, and she was probably going to get blown to pieces

She shouldn’t have run away. This whole idea was stupid. Throwing her whole life away for a couple of weirdos she’d known for a few hours.

“Catra!”

“Glimmer?”

“No time!” Glimmer grabbed her, and they vanished in flash of sparkles. “Too close to the fighting,” Glimmer explained.

“Why did you do that?”

“Too keep you getting blown up, duh,” she said- and then pressed the sword into Catra’s hands. “I think you need to have that.”

Catra narrowed her eyes. “You actually trust me?”

“I… wouldn’t go that far,” Glimmer admitted. “But I saw you arguing with that Horde soldier, and then you ran away…. And you told us they were coming, bought us time to evacuate. That’s gotta be worth something… And...”

“And what?”

“And that, honestly, we don’t have a lot of options here.”

Catra grinned. “Maybe you’re not such an idiot after all, princess.”

* * *

“FOR THE HONOR OF GRAYSKULL!”

Immediately that sunlight coursed back through her, and Catra was no longer just Catra.

She was something so much more. Something golden and shining and powerful. 

She was She-Ra.

She strode onto the battlefield, towering over the Horde soldiers. They all hesitated for a moment, taking in this new threat. Then they aimed their guns, and fired.

She-Ra raised her sword. All their shots reflected off harmlessly.

The tanks moved into position, their canons aiming. She-Ra raised her arm. In answer, the very ground rose beneath, toppling the tanks over.

She-Ra lunged forward. Her sword sliced right through one of the canons.

Some of the soldiers screamed.

She was a force of nature. Fast, strong, _ powerful _ Never in her life has Catra felt this way.

It was_ awesome_.

She threw two soldiers half-way across the battlefield; kicked another into the mud; plunged her sword into a tank’s engine and jumped away before it exploded. Many of the soldiers were running down, retreating, but she wished they would stay. It was just getting good.

And then, through the smoke, she saw Adora.

And Adora saw her.

Their gazes met. Adora’s blue eyes widened. She recognised her. Underneath the magic and the burnished gold, Adora still recognised her.

Suddenly, Catra felt exhausted. The headache came back, a dozen times worse than before. She swayed. The power was draining, fast.

She had to get out of there.

* * *

The Horde was retreating, fleeing back to safety- but not Adora.

She knew she should be. She was Force Captain, now. She was supposed to be by her troops. Directing them. Taking their reports. Making sure they were safe.

But Catra was part of her troop, too. Even if she had done- all of this.

So Adora plunged forward, through smoke and rubble, to where she had seen her friend dash away.

It didn’t take long. Clambering over one of the fort’s toppled walls, Adora found Catra leaning heavily against a huge chunk of rock. She was back to normal, or so it seemed; that terrible golden light was gone, leaving only her proper tawny fur and red uniform behind.

“Catra,” Adora called out, sliding towards her. “Are you-” she hesitated- “Okay?”

Catra shot her a grin, the kind she gave she was hurting, but didn’t want to show it. “More than okay.”

A million questions hung over them. Adora began with the largest, most encompassing: “What was _ that?_”

“The sword.” Catra was still holding the horrible thing in one hand- Adora hadn’t noticed. She held it up, its bright golden and blue sparkling in the dim light. “See? Told ya I found it.”

In the tone that overseers use with the toddler-cadets, Adora said, “So you did. Now… why don’t you just… put it down?”

“No way.”

“Catra… that sword has some strange kind of- _ princess magic_. It’s dangerous!”

“I know that. I told you- it’s powerful.” Her expression was smug. “You wouldn’t come to see, so I came to show you.”

“Okay. You showed me,” Adora said, in that same patient tone. “Now, come on. Let’s go home.”

Catra shook her head. “No. Don’t you see? We don’t _ have _ to go home.”

This… this was bad. Adora’s eyes flickered between Catra’s face, and the sword, and her face again. “What are you talking about? Of course we’re going home-”

“No, Adora, listen,” Catra said, leaning forward and grasping her hand. “We don’t need to! With the sword-”

“You’re being ridiculous, Catra! Where would we even _ go_?”

“To Bright Moon!” exclaimed Catra. “I met some rebels. They’re- actually nice, honestly. Like, _ embarrassingly _ nice. We… have an understanding. They want the power of the sword, they want She-Ra. They want _ me _”

_ They want to use you, more like, _Adora thought, but didn’t say aloud.

This wasn’t Catra’s usual recklessness or disobedience. This was something more. It brought to mind the stories Shadow Weaver told them as kids, of princesses singing enchanting songs, luring innocent people into ravines where they’d fall to their deaths. 

The sword had done something to Catra. Transformed her. Got into her head. She didn’t even know what she was saying.

Adora grabbed her friend firmly by the hand, and said, “That’s it. We’re leaving.”

Catra fought, but with none of her usual strength. Whatever the power had possessed her was spent. It still wouldn’t be easy to drag a protesting Catra back, but Adora could mana-

“Get your hands off her!”

Something bright and pink appeared out of nowhere, tackling Adora to the ground. Adora rolled, freeing herself. A person, a princess- she’d teleported in. Adora felt a stab of fear, but didn’t let that consume her, as she drew her hand up into a punch-

“I wouldn’t do that, if I were you.”

Adora glanced to take in the new threat. The speaker was an archer, aiming an arrow right at her head.

Caught between a rock and a hard place, Adora froze.

“Guys! Guys, chill!” Catra stepped between Adora and the archer. “This is Adora. She’s my friend.”

“She’s a Horde soldier,” hissed the princess. Adora recognised her from Force Captain Orientation. Name: Princess Glimmer of Brightmoon. Powers: Teleportation and glitter rays. Threat Level: Moderate.

But for a princess, ‘moderate’ was still very high indeed.

“She’s my friend,” Catra repeated. “And I’ll scratch the face off anyone who hurts her.”

The archer lowered his bow. Princess Glimmer did not lower her fists.

“She was trying to drag you away,” said Princess Glimmer. “I saw you arguing with her before! She wants to take you back to the Horde-”

“Yeah, because she’s stubborn. She’s also the biggest goody-two-shoes I know. She’s not gonna hurt me,” Catra said. She waved the magic sword in the air. “Look, if you could trust me not to betray you, you can trust me with this, okay?”

“Come on, Glimmer,” the archer said.

The princess sighed, and finally backed away. Adora didn’t lower her guard.

Could she escape? Almost certainly. The Horde wouldn’t have retreated far.

Could she escape with Catra? Normally, yes. But this was not normally.

Best to play along, for now.

“What are we even supposed to… _ do _with her?” Princess Glimmer complained, gesturing at Adora. “Just… let her go?”

Catra came to stand at Adora’s side, slinging her free arm around Adora’s shoulder. In that familiar gesture, Adora could feel a lot more weight and tension than usual. “Wherever I go, Adora comes with.”

There was some argument, at that, between Catra and the princess and her henchman. Part of Adora listened with rapt attention. Another part was deep in thought.

This was bad. This was really bad. She couldn’t be dragged behind enemy lines. It was beyond dangerous. She would be leaving her command behind. Shadow Weaver would be furious.

But.

But the alternative was, apparently, leaving Catra to face it by herself.

And it could be an amazing opportunity. No Horde soldier had never made it to Bright Moon. Who knew what secrets it held? If Adora could find out, and make it back alive…

She could end this war, for good.

“Fine,” Princess Glimmer said, coming to a conclusion at almost the same time Adora did. She pointed a finger in Adora’s face. “But you have to _ promise _ you’re on the level. That means no backstabbing, no murder, no… evil Horde stuff, okay?!”

“Okay,” said Adora, unflinching, while on the inside she seethed at a princess accusing _ her _ of _ evill_. 

“Do you promise?” asked the archer.

“I promise,” said Adora. 

She didn’t like lying, but she would if she had to.

Catra squeezed Adora’s hand. Adora squeezed back.

She didn’t know what was going on. But as long as they stuck together, nothing really bad could happen. 

  


**Author's Note:**

> [Waves] Hi everyone! 
> 
> This idea has been kicking around in my brain for a while, prompted by two concepts:
> 
> 1) What if Catra had had the chance to see Bow and Glimmer in the same way Adora had, early on?
> 
> 2) how fucking badass would Catra look in a full She-Ra-ification?
> 
> And this story was born!
> 
> I have some ideas of where I would take it in sequels/further chapters. Maybe I'll do something some day. For now, this stands on it's own :) 
> 
> Hope you enjoyed, and thanks for reading!


End file.
